Rajasthan High Court Refuses Bail to Asaram
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Synopsis
The Rajasthan High Court has denied interim bail to Asaram, requesting his lawyer to file an affidavit for the next hearing. Asaram is serving a sentence for rape and is under scrutiny for potential violations of bail conditions, with the next court date set for April 7.
Key Takeaways
- Rajasthan High Court denies Asaram's bail request.
- Next hearing scheduled for April 7.
- Asaram's lawyer must submit an affidavit.
- Asaram was hospitalized without clear reasons.
- He faces life imprisonment in two cases.
Jaipur, April 2 (NationPress) The Rajasthan High Court (HC) on Wednesday rejected an interim bail application from Asaram and instructed his attorney to submit an affidavit at the upcoming hearing.
Asaram is currently serving a sentence for a rape conviction. His petition was examined on Wednesday, with arguments spanning approximately half an hour. During the proceedings, the government advocate opposed the motion for interim bail, asserting that Asaram had breached the Supreme Court conditions regarding preaching. The next hearing has been set for April 7.
Asaram’s attorney, however, refuted any claims of violating conditions. The court also requested details regarding the medical treatment Asaram received during his previous interim bail and questioned its necessity going forward.
After hearing arguments from both sides, the court mandated Asaram to file a counter-affidavit concerning the alleged violations. Following the conclusion of his interim bail, Asaram returned to Jodhpur Central Jail on April 1 at 1:30 PM.
He spent around 10 hours in jail before being transferred to a private hospital (Arogyaam) on Pali Road at 11:30 PM. However, no official explanation has been provided for his hospitalization.
Previously, Asaram had been granted three months of interim bail by the Gujarat High Court.
On Tuesday, after the Rajasthan High Court reopened, Asaram’s lawyer, Nishant Bora, sought an urgent hearing concerning his bail application. The court addressed the matter on Wednesday.
Even with the interim bail granted in the Gujarat case, Asaram remains incarcerated until he receives relief in both cases, officials stated.
Asaram reported back to Jodhpur Central Jail on Tuesday afternoon following the expiration of his interim bail on March 31.
The Rajasthan High Court also requested affidavits from both Asaram and the victim in relation to his bail case. The victim’s attorney strongly contested the extension of his interim bail, claiming that Asaram had previously violated court conditions and should not be afforded further leniency.
During the proceedings, the court specifically inquired of Asaram’s lawyer whether he had breached the Supreme Court conditions by delivering sermons. The court instructed him to submit an affidavit addressing these allegations. The case was reviewed by a division bench consisting of Justice Dinesh Mehta and Vineet Kumar Mathur.
The Supreme Court had initially granted Asaram interim bail on January 14, which was later extended by the Jodhpur High Court until March 31. With this period now concluded, a new petition was filed by Asaram seeking an extension.
In the meantime, the Gujarat High Court had granted Asaram three months of interim bail in the Surat rape case, but he remains in custody as he has not obtained similar relief from the Rajasthan High Court.
Asaram has been convicted in two serious sexual assault cases, both resulting in life imprisonment. The first is the Jodhpur case (2013) in which he was arrested for raping a minor girl, leading to a life sentence. The second is the Gujarat case (Surat) where he faced multiple sexual assault allegations at Gandhinagar Ashram, resulting in a life sentence in January 2023.
